The present invention relates to a device for moving fluid or solid substances and to a method of using such a device.
More precisely, it relates to a mixer for fluid or solid substances by gas injection.
Such devices are disclosed in the state of the art. Documents EP-A-243 764 and WO 92/21434 disclose compartmented containers, the compartment containing the substance to be mixed being in contact, via a porous wall, with another compartment in which gas is generated or injected.
Documents GB 1 400 723, FR-A-2 482 471, U.S. Pat. No. 3,671,018 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,970 disclose mixers for fluid or solid substances comprising a container and at least a gas bubble nozzle which is situated in the lower part of said container. Mixing is carried out with the bubbles formation and elevation.
Document WO 85/03458 shows a mixer, similar to the previous ones, comprising several gas nozzles which are situated at the bottom of the container, each nozzle being made of an horizontal circular plate which is fixed to the bottom of the container by spacers, the gas being brought in a conduit bound to the nozzle upper part and ends in the space situated between the circular plate and the bottom of the container in such a way that the bubbles are generated in said space.
Documents DE-B-1027966, DE-C-428237, FR-A-888432, DD-A-69507, U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,064, FR-A-1093699 and GB-A-924128 disclose mixers comprising movable gas emitting nozzles.
The present invention relates to a device for moving fluid or solid substances, using of gas bubbles, comprising:
a container adapted to contain said substances,
at least one movable gas nozzle situated in the lower part of said container, the nozzle being fixed to a rotating vertical axis via a rod,
nozzle driving means,
a first gas routing system for the formation of bubbles at the nozzle, said device being characterized in that it furthermore comprises:
a second gas routing system for moving said nozzle, said second system being brought into relation with and partially being made of said nozzle driving means,
momentary gas routing interrupting means adapted to allow gas routing either into the said first system or into the said second system.
Any type of movement of the nozzles can be used, the nozzles may all move in a same horizontal plane or in different overlapping horizontal planes.
The nozzle shape is not limited to a specific design, provided it is adapted to emit gas bubbles and to move.
According to another embodiment, the nozzles are essentially made of two plates between which gas bubbles are generated.
The present invention also relates to a method of using the previous defined device.
The present invention can be used for several purposes. As an example we can cite the mixing: of oil in the earth oil industry, of polymers in the chemical industry and of cereals in the agro business.